clairebearnz
Well-Known Member
Long time no post!
The last post I made, I was asking advice about my OTTB stopping at fences. Unfortunately, before I actually got a chance to try any suggestions, he had a major paddock accident resulting in hind end ataxia. Thankfully, after a few days of touch and go, he has recovered superbly but is having a winter's break. I currently don't have plans to jump him seriously again, but he desperately enjoys dressage so in the spring, will come back into work. Somewhat unfortunately, he's currently extremely bored and spends half his time doing this:
My somewhat psychotic grey pony, Tally, who had calmed down in his old age, also has a bout of laminitis and was diagnosed with Cushings (ACTH test was 1250!) so started on Pergolide. Apparently his calmness was due to Cushings versus old age (rising 22) because he's returned to his usual bucking form and takes great pleasure in taking me for speed hacks through the forest. His behaviour also resulted in my friend being bucked off her horse. I'm deeply ashamed.
My lovely unbroken previously terrified mare, Missy, continues to be a source of joy and cuddles in times of stress.
But. I was, at one point, with no horse to ride. I had been riding a pony for a friend of mine, and she's now mine to play with for the winter! The mad people in the South Island decided that the eventing season occurs over the winter, so we duly trundled out to Poppy's first ODE in the bitter cold. She's probably one of the classiest movers I've sat on but our dressage suffered somewhat because a) the ground was frozen and b) I could not feel my hands, feet, or face.
Poppy only started over fences in February and has taken to show jumping with sudden enthusiasm.
XC was interesting. She'd only seen XC fences once before and wasn't particularly keen on the idea. However, after viewing the first fence very suspiciously, she did eventually creep over it. We did get round with quite a few stops, but I was very pleased that she finished more confidently than she started and also we didn't get eliminated at the first jump (and I didn't fall off into the water).
We then took her back for a schooling session over the same course the weekend after. She has now decided that she *gets* this XC thing and rather likes it....
Off eventing again in early July on Poppy which should be good fun!
The last post I made, I was asking advice about my OTTB stopping at fences. Unfortunately, before I actually got a chance to try any suggestions, he had a major paddock accident resulting in hind end ataxia. Thankfully, after a few days of touch and go, he has recovered superbly but is having a winter's break. I currently don't have plans to jump him seriously again, but he desperately enjoys dressage so in the spring, will come back into work. Somewhat unfortunately, he's currently extremely bored and spends half his time doing this:
My somewhat psychotic grey pony, Tally, who had calmed down in his old age, also has a bout of laminitis and was diagnosed with Cushings (ACTH test was 1250!) so started on Pergolide. Apparently his calmness was due to Cushings versus old age (rising 22) because he's returned to his usual bucking form and takes great pleasure in taking me for speed hacks through the forest. His behaviour also resulted in my friend being bucked off her horse. I'm deeply ashamed.
My lovely unbroken previously terrified mare, Missy, continues to be a source of joy and cuddles in times of stress.
But. I was, at one point, with no horse to ride. I had been riding a pony for a friend of mine, and she's now mine to play with for the winter! The mad people in the South Island decided that the eventing season occurs over the winter, so we duly trundled out to Poppy's first ODE in the bitter cold. She's probably one of the classiest movers I've sat on but our dressage suffered somewhat because a) the ground was frozen and b) I could not feel my hands, feet, or face.
Poppy only started over fences in February and has taken to show jumping with sudden enthusiasm.
XC was interesting. She'd only seen XC fences once before and wasn't particularly keen on the idea. However, after viewing the first fence very suspiciously, she did eventually creep over it. We did get round with quite a few stops, but I was very pleased that she finished more confidently than she started and also we didn't get eliminated at the first jump (and I didn't fall off into the water).
We then took her back for a schooling session over the same course the weekend after. She has now decided that she *gets* this XC thing and rather likes it....
Off eventing again in early July on Poppy which should be good fun!
and I suspect secretly you are too 
